Buffy the Bored Raccoon

[Music] [Music] Once, or maybe once upon a time, if you like that better, in a lovely forest beside a clear stream. There lived a little raccoon named Buffy. Buffy, sad to say, was not a happy raccoon. Buffy was bored. She was so tired of seeing nothing but trees all day long. so tired of having nothing but the same old rocks to walk on, the same old birds singing, and the wind always rustling through the leaves, and the river always bubbling its way down into the valley. She was sure there were more interesting things in the world than the forest. [Music] And then there was that turkey vulture again, soaring high above. That meant he probably spotted her. So she'd have to hide again, as she'd done at least a thousand times. The first time that happened, it was exciting. Now it was boring. Why couldn't that bird just leave her alone? [Music] Once again, Buffy had to show the turkey vulture she wasn't afraid. The turkey vulture border just as much as the woods and the river did. [Music] Every morning she'd go down to the river to look for something to do. The river was never any different either. [Music] Then the fish came by and wanted to play again. Water tag was his favorite game. [Music] Buffy played for a little while, but that was the same game the fish always played, and Buffy was tired of it. And then that pesky little crayfish snuck up on her again and grabbed hold of her tail with his claw. [Music] It was funny the first time he had done it, but it was the only trick he knew. And now it was boring, just like everything else. Everything was always the same here. Buffy felt there just had to be someplace where things were different and more exciting than they were in the forest. So early the next morning, Buffy set out down a quiet road to find some excitement. The road past a farm. [Music] There were different animals here than there were in the forest. Maybe a farm would be a more exciting place. [Music] When she saw some pigs eating, it reminded her that she was getting kind of hungry. [Music] And a truck was serving food, lots of it. Food seemed easier to get here than it was in the forest, but there didn't seem to be too much excitement on the farm. But as long as she was there, she thought she'd eat. She was so busy eating, she didn't noticed that the farm animals weren't exactly happy to share their food with her. [Music] She tried to introduce herself, but when a mule gave her a nudge, she got the idea. The farm animals didn't want her around. Well, she decided she didn't care for them or their food very much either. So, on she ran, hoping she'd find some place better. And pretty soon, just over a hill, there was a city. Now, Buffy was sure this must be the exciting place she had been looking for. [Music] So many cars, so many people. Nothing looked boring. Everything looked new to her. [Music] [Music] The city was exciting and different. [Music] Nothing ever stopped. People in cars kept moving all the time. The city was busy. [Music] But it was noisy. The sounds hurt ears and the air smelled awful. She kept having to scoot out of the way of the cars. They were worse than the turkey vulture. And then suddenly she didn't know what was happening. [Music] Well, what had happened was this. A man from the animal shelter had caught Buffy. He usually caught stray dogs and cats, but a stray raccoon in the city needed just as much help. [Music] The man already knew what Buffy was beginning to understand. A busy city isn't a good place for a raccoon. A cage in an animal shelter is a safer place. It was quiet at the animal shelter, and the air smelled good, even though not as good as the air in the forest. As Buffy began looking around her cage, she started feeling sorry she had ever left the forest. She was sorry she hadn't been satisfied with the trees and the river. At least she had been free then. Now she was in a cage. And then she was surprised to see another raccoon. He had come to the city for excitement, too. [Music] Buffy was afraid neither one of them would ever see their forest again. [Music] But she was wrong. A few days later, Buffy, her new friend, and other little forest animals that had wandered into the city were put into boxes and loaded onto a helicopter for an important trip. They were all going back to places where they could live safely. [Music] [Music] And in no time at all, Buffy and her new friend were on a hillside not far from their forest. The air smelled good again, and the birds were singing. [Music] Now the forest seemed like the most wonderful place in the world, and Buffy and her friend would never think it was boring again. [Music] [Music] [Music]